Orthodox Churches

DECR chairman meets with His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch

On 15 September 2017, while in Lebanon upon the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, visited the the Archdiocese of Beirut of the Patriarchate of Antioch and had a meeting with Metropolitan Elias of Beirut and Dependencies.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with President of Lebanon

On 15 September 2017, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, met with Mr. Michel Aoun, President of the Lebanese Republic, at the Presidential palace in Baabda, in the suburb of Lebanon’s capital.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with the head of the Maronite Church

On 15 September 2017, at the summer residence of the Maronite patriarchs in Dimane, Lebanon, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, met with His Beatitude Maronite Patriarch Béchara Boutros Cardinal al-Raï.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk begins his working visit to Lebanon

On 14 September 2017, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, arrived in Lebanon. At the Beirut international airport he was met by Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Mr. Yacoub Sarraf, Minister of National Defense of the Lebanese Republic; Hegumen Arseniy (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East; Mr. V.L. Maksudov, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Russian Federation in Lebanon; Mr. V.V. Zaychikov, head of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Beirut; and by other officials.

Thira Diocese of Greek Church condemns commercial profanation of its churches

Following the Europe-wide controversy over German supermarket chain Lidl’s decision to use photos of famous Greek Orthodox churches with crosses removed in the advertising and packaging of its “Eridanous” line of Greek food, and a number of other provocations, including the filming of a rap video in one church, the Thira Diocese of the Greek Orthodox Church, to which the famous Santorini churches belong, has released a condemnatory response, ortodoxia.info reports.

Heads of Churches of Jerusalem accomodate the National Council of Churches of Christ from USA

At noon on 31st August / 13th September 2017, the Heads of Churches of Jerusalem under His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos offered a meal to the delegates of the National Council of the Churches of Christ USA (NCC) at the Note Dame Hotel, by the New Gate.

During lunch, the Heads of Churches briefed the guests on the current situation at the Old City of Jerusalem, which has always been separated in four quarters, the Christian, Judaic, Muslim and Armenian ones, and on the attempts of extreme Israeli settlers to change this Status Quo, as it happens with the illegal contracts of the Jaffa Gate Hotels and the recent unjust decision of the Israeli Court for them.